List of Danish monarchs

Royal Banner of the Kings of Denmark (circa 1300s).

This is a list of Danish monarchs, that is, the Kings and Queens regnant of Denmark. This includes:

• The Kingdom of Denmark (up to 1397)
  • Personal union of Denmark and Norway (1380–1397)
• The Kalmar Union (1397–1536)
  • Union of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (1397–1523)
  • Union of Denmark and Norway (1523–1536)
• The Kingdom of Denmark-Norway (1536–1814)
• The Kingdom of Denmark (1814–ongoing)
  • Iceland (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380; independent in a personal union with Denmark 1918–1944; a sovereign republic since 1944)
  • Greenland (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380; effective Danish control began in 1721; integrated into the Danish realm in 1953; internal home rule introduced 1979; self-determination assumed in 2009)
  • Faroe Islands (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380; County of Denmark 1816–1948; internal home rule introduced 1948)

The house of Oldenburg held the Danish Crown between 1448 and 1863, when it passed to the house of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a cadet branch of the same house, descended from King Frederick V of Denmark. The kingdom had been elective (although the eldest son or brother of the previous king was usually elected) until 1660, when it became hereditary and absolutist. Until 1864 Denmark was also united in a personal union with the duchies of Holstein and Saxe-Lauenburg, and in a political and personal union with the Duchy of Schleswig.

Semi-legendary Danish monarchs

See also: List of legendary kings of Denmark

The Sigtrygg Runestones of the "House of Olaf": was raised after king Sigtrygg by his mother. 934 AD.

• Chochilaicus—see Hugleik and Hygelac—c. 515 AD, First Danish King mentioned by Gregory of Tours (538–594). Hugleik, according to the written sources suffered a defeat in 515 during a naval expedition to the Frankish Empire. Hugleik is the first Danish king mentioned in European sources.
• Ongendus (Angantyr): c. 710 Saint Willibrord wrote about when he visited the Danes, at the time ruled by Ongendus.
• Harald, named as former king in relating 9th century events, perhaps model for legendary Harald Wartooth
• Sigfred: 780s–790s
• Gudfred: 804–810 mentioned as Danish king in the Treaty of Heiligen 811.
• Hemming: 810–811/812 The Treaty of Heiligen was signed in 811 between the Danish King Hemming and Charlemagne.
• Sigfred, nephew of Gudfred, and Anulo (Anlaufr), nephew of Harald, fought for throne and both were killed, perhaps model for legendary Sigurd Hring: c. 812
• Harald Klak and his brothers Ragnfrid and Hemming Halfdansson: 812–813 and again from 819/827. From 826 he and his household lived in exile with the Frankish emperor Louis the Pious, he was baptized by the bishop of Mainz in Ingelheim am Rhein. The last reference of Harald in the written sources are in the Annals of Fulda this records his execution for treason in 852.
• Sons of Gudfred: 814–820s
  • Horik I: (814) 827–854. king of the Danes (at first ruling jointly with his unnamed brothers). The Frankish annals mention Horik on numerous occasions during the next couple of decades.
• Horik II: 850s–860s. He is believed to have been the immediate successor of Horik I, but the annals are silent about the name of the Danish king for a few years after the disaster of 854. In 857, Horik II allowed Rorik to occupy the part of the kingdom between the sea and the Eider. Horik II was still alive in 864, when a letter was addressed to him by Pope Nicholas I.
• Late 9th century kings
  • Bagsecg: c. 860s–871
  • Halfdan: 871–877
  • Sigfred: c. 873–891 It is generally assumed that he was the immediate successor of Horik II, although that is not certain. His year of succession is unknown, but it was between 864 (when Horik II was still king) and his first appearance as king in the Frankish annals in 873. Sigifrid was baptized in 882.
  • Gudfred: 880s
• Heiligo (Halga): 890s
• The "House of Olaf": late 9th century and early 10th century.. This dynasty is mentioned in the two Sigtrygg Runestones raised shortly after 934. The two inscriptions are evidence for the House of Olaf controlling at least part of Denmark.
  • Olof
  • Gyrd and Gnupa
  • Sigtrygg
• Harthacnut I (Hardeknud): 936–940
• Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye (da: Sigurd Orm-i-øje or Snogeøje). Mentioned by Chronicon Roskildense and Ragnarssona þáttr. Said to be king of Zealand and Scania, and son of Ragnar Lodbrok.
• Ragnar Lodbrok was a legendary king probably in the 9th century, is mentioned in multiple sources, but the sources are wildly inconsistent.

Historical Danish monarchs

House of Gorm

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Gorm the Old (Gorm den Gamle) 940–958		c. 900 son of Harthacanute I	Thyra four children	c. 958
Harald I Bluetooth (Harald Blåtand) 958–985/86		c. 925 son of Gorm the Old and Thyra	(1) Gyrid of Sweden by 950 four or six children (2) Tove of the Obotrites c. 970 no issue	1 November 985 Jomsborg aged about 50-60
Sweyn I Forkbeard (Svend Tveskæg) 986–1014		c. 960 son of Harald Bluetooth and Gyrid of Sweden	(1 & 2) Gunhild of Wenden or Sigrid the Haughty eight or more children	3 February 1014 Gainsborough, Lincolnshire aged 53–54
Harald II Svendsen 1014–1018		? eldest son of Sweyn Forkbeard and Gunhild or Sigrid	unknown	c. 1018
Cnut the Great (Knud den Store) 1018–1035		c. 985/95 younger son of Sweyn Forkbeard and Gunhild or Sigrid	(1) Ælfgifu of Northampton two children (2) Emma of Normandy 2/31 July 1017 two children	12 November 1035 Shaftesbury aged about 40-50
Harthacnut (Hardeknud) 1035–1042		c. 1020 England son of Cnut the Great and Emma of Normandy	never married	8 June 1042 Lambeth aged 21–22

House of Fairhair

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Magnus the Good (Magnus den Gode) 1042–1047		c. 1024 Norway illegitimate son of Olaf II of Norway and Alfhild	never married	25 October 1047 Zealand aged 23

House of Estridsen

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Sweyn II Estridsson (Svend Estridsen) 1047–1074/76		c. 1019 England son of jarl Ulf Torgilsson and Estrid Svendsdatter	(1) Gyda of Sweden c. 1048 (2) Gunnhildr Sveinsdóttir c. 1050	28 April 1074 or 1076 Søderup aged 54–57
Harald III the Soft (Harald Hén) 1074/76–1080		c. 1040 illegitimate son of Sweyn II	Margareta Hasbjörnsdatter no issue	17 April 1080 aged 40
Canute IV the Holy (Knud den Hellige) 1080–1086		c. 1042 illegitimate son of Sweyn II	Adela of Flanders c. 1080 three children	10 July 1086 St. Alban's Priory aged 43–44
Olaf I Hunger (Oluf Hunger) 1086–1095		c. 1050 illegitimate son of Sweyn II	Ingegerd of Norway c. 1070 one daughter	18 August 1095 aged 44–45
Eric I Evergood (Erik Ejegod) 1095–1103		c. 1050 Slangerup illegitimate son of Sweyn II	Boedil Thurgotsdatter before 1086 one son	10 July 1103 Paphos, Cyprus aged 42–43
Niels 1104–1134		c. 1065 illegitimate son of Sweyn II	(1) Margaret Fredkulla c. 1105 two sons (2) Ulvhild Håkansdotter c. 1130 no issue	25 June 1134 Schleswig aged 68–69
Eric II the Memorable (Erik Emune) 1134–1137		c. 1090 illegitimate son of Eric I	Malmfred of Kiev c. 1130 no issue	18 July 1137 Urnehoved aged 46–47
Eric III Lamb (Erik Lam) 1137–1146 (abdicated)		c. 1120 son of Hakon Sunnivasson and Ragnhild Eriksdatter	Lutgard of Salzwedel c. 1144 no issue	27 August 1146 St. Canute's Abbey aged 25–26
Sweyn III Grathe (Svend Grathe) 1146–1157		c. 1125 illegitimate son of Eric II	Adela of Meissen c. 1152 two children	23 October 1157 Grathe Heath aged 31–32
Canute V (Knud 5.) 1146–1157		c. 1129 eldest son of Magnus I of Sweden and Richeza of Poland	Helena of Sweden c. 1156 no issue	9 August 1157 Roskilde aged 27–28
Valdemar I the Great (Valdemar den Store) 1146–1182		14 January 1131 only son of Canute Lavard and Ingeborg of Kiev	Sophia of Minsk c. 1157 Viborg Cathedral eight children	12 May 1182 Vordingborg Castle aged 51
Canute VI (Knud 6.) 1182–1202		c. 1163 eldest son of Valdemar I and Sophia of Minsk	Gertrude of Bavaria February 1177 Lund Cathedral no issue	12 November 1202 aged 38–39
Valdemar II the Victorious (Valdemar Sejr) 1202–1241		9 May/28 June 1170 second son of Valdemar I and Sophia of Minsk	(1) Dagmar of Bohemia c. 1205 Lübeck one son (2) Berengaria of Portugal 18/24 May 1214 four children	28 March 1241 Vordingborg Castle aged 70
Valdemar the Young (Valdemar den Unge) 1215–1231		c. 1209 only son of Valdemar II and Dagmar of Bohemia	Eleanor of Portugal 24 June 1229 Ribe Cathedral one child	28 November 1231 Refsnæs aged 21–22
Eric IV Ploughpenny (Erik Plovpenning) 1232–1250		c. 1216 eldest son of Valdemar II and Berengaria of Portugal	Jutta of Saxony 17 November 1239 six children	9 August 1250 on the Schlei aged 33–34
Abel 1 November 1250 – 1252		c. 1218 second son of Valdemar II and Berengaria of Portugal	Matilda of Holstein 25 April 1237 Schleswig Cathedral four children	29 June 1252 Eiderstedt aged 33–34
Christopher I (Christoffer 1.) 25 December 1252 – 1259		c. 1219 third son of Valdemar II and Berengaria of Portugal	Margaret Sambiria c. 1248 five children	29 May 1259 Ribe aged 39–40
Eric V Klipping (Erik Klipping) 1259–1286		c. 1249 eldest son of Christopher I and Margaret Sambiria	Agnes of Brandenburg 11 November 1273 Schleswig Cathedral seven children	22 November 1286 Finderup aged 36–37
Eric VI Menved (Erik Menved) 1286–1319		c. 1274 eldest son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg	Ingeborg of Sweden June 1296 Kärnan Castle fourteen children	13 November 1319 Roskilde aged 44–45
Christopher II (Christoffer 2.) 25 January 1320 – 1326 (deposed)		29 September 1276 second son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg	Euphemia of Pomerania c. 1300 six children	2 August 1332 Nykøbing Castle aged 55
Eric (Erik Christoffersen) 1321–1326 (deposed)		c. 1307 eldest son of Christopher II and Euphemia of Pomerania	Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg 1330 no issue	early 1332 aged c. 25
Valdemar III (Valdemar 3.) 1326–1329 (deposed)		c. 1314 only son of Eric II, Duke of Schleswig and Adelaide of Holstein-Rendsburg	Richardis of Schwerin two sons	c. 1364 aged 49–50
Christopher II (Christoffer 2.) 1329–1332 (restored)		29 September 1276 second son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg	Euphemia of Pomerania c. 1300 six children	2 August 1332 Nykøbing Castle aged 55
Eric (Erik Christoffersen) 1329–1332		c. 1307 eldest son of Christopher II and Euphemia of Pomerania	Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg 1330 no issue	early 1332 aged c. 25
Interregnum (1332–1340)
Valdemar IV Atterdag (Valdemar Atterdag) 21 June 1340 – 1375		c. 1320 third son of Christopher II and Euphemia of Pomerania	Helvig of Schleswig c. 1340 Sønderborg Castle six children	24 October 1375 Gurre Castle aged 54–55

House of Bjelbo

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Olaf II (Oluf 2.) 3 May 1376 – 1387		December 1370 Akershus Castle only son of Haakon VI of Norway and Margaret I	never married	23 August 1387 Falsterbo Castle aged 16

House of Estridsen

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Margaret I (Margrete 1.) 1376–1412 (de facto)		c.  1353 Vordingborg Castle youngest daughter of Valdemar IV and Helvig of Schleswig	Haakon VI of Norway 9 April 1363 Church of Our Lady one son	28 October 1412 Ship on Flensburg Fjord aged 58–59

House of Pomerania

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Eric VII (Erik af Pommern) 17 June 1397 – 1439 (deposed)		c. 1381/82 Rügenwalde Castle (Poland) only son of Polish Duke of Pomerania Wartislaw VII and Mary of Mecklenburg-Schwerin	Philippa of England 26 October 1406 Lund Cathedral no issue	3 May 1459 Rügenwalde Castle (Poland) aged 76–78

House of Palatinate-Neumarkt

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Christopher III (Christoffer af Bayern) 9 April 1440 – 5/6 January 1448		26 February 1416 Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz fifth son of John, Count Palatine of Neumarkt and Catherine of Pomerania	Dorothea of Brandenburg 12 September 1445 Copenhagen no issue	5/6 January 1448 Kärnan Castile aged 31

House of Oldenburg

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Christian I 28 September 1448 – 21 May 1481		February 1426 Oldenburg eldest son of Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg and Helvig of Schauenburg	Dorothea of Brandenburg 28 October 1449 Church of Our Lady five children	21 May 1481 Copenhagen Castle aged 55
John (Hans) 1481–1513		2 February 1455 Aalborghus Castle third son of Christian I and Dorothea of Brandenburg	Christina of Saxony 6 September 1478 Copenhagen five children	20 February 1513 Aalborghus Castle aged 58
Christian II 1513–1523 (deposed)		1 July 1481 Nyborg Castle second son of John and Christina of Saxony	Isabella of Austria 12 August 1515 Copenhagen six children	25 January 1559 Kalundborg Castle aged 77
Frederick I 1523–1533		7 October 1471 Haderslevhus Castle fourth son of Christian I and Dorothea of Brandenburg	(1) Anna of Brandenburg 10 April 1502 Stendal two children (2) Sophie of Pomerania 9 October 1518 Kiel Castle six children	10 April 1533 Gottorp Castle aged 61
Interregnum (1533–1534)
Christian III 4 July 1534 – 1559		12 August 1503 Gottorp Castle only son of Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg	Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg 29 October 1525 Lauenburg Castle five children	1 January 1559 Koldinghus Castle aged 55
Frederick II 1559–1588		1 July 1534 Haderslevhus Castle eldest son of Christian III and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg	Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 20 July 1572 Copenhagen eight children	4 April 1588 Antvorskov Castle aged 53
Christian IV 1588–1648		12 April 1577 Frederiksborg Palace eldest son of Frederick II and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow	(1) Anne Catherine of Brandenburg 27 November 1597 Haderslevhus Castle seven children (2) Kirsten Munk 31 December 1615 Copenhagen twelve children	28 February 1648 Rosenborg Castle aged 70
Frederick III 1648–1670		18 March 1609 Haderslevhus Castle third son of Christian IV and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg	Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1 October 1643 Glücksburg Castle eight children	9 February 1670 Copenhagen Castle aged 60
Christian V 9 February 1670 – 25 August 1699		15 April 1646 Duborg Castle eldest son of Frederick III and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg	Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel 25 June 1667 Nykøbing Castle eight children	25 August 1699 Copenhagen Castle aged 53
Frederick IV 25 August 1699 – 12 October 1730		11 October 1671 Copenhagen Castle eldest son of Christian V and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel	(1) Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 5 December 1695 Copenhagen five children (2) Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg 6 September 1703 one son (3) Anne Sophie Reventlow 4 April 1721 Copenhagen three children	12 October 1730 Odense Palace aged 59
Christian VI 12 October 1730 – 6 August 1746		30 November 1699 Copenhagen Castle second son of Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow	Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach 7 August 1721 Pretzsch Castle three children	6 August 1746 Hirschholm Palace aged 46
Frederick V 6 August 1746 – 14 January 1766		31 March 1723 Copenhagen Castle only son of Christian VI and Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach	(1) Louise of Great Britain 11 December 1743 Altona five children (2) Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 8 July 1752 Frederiksborg Palace one son	14 January 1766 Christiansborg Palace aged 42
Christian VII 14 January 1766 – 13 March 1808		29 January 1749 Christiansborg Palace second son of Frederick V and Louise of Great Britain	Caroline Matilda of Great Britain 8 November 1766 Christiansborg Palace two children	13 March 1808 Rendsburg aged 59
Frederick VI 13 March 1808 – 3 December 1839		28 January 1768 Christiansborg Palace only son of Christian VII and Caroline Matilda of Great Britain	Marie Sophie of Hesse-Kassel 31 July 1790 Gottorp Castle eight children	3 December 1839 Amalienborg Palace aged 71
Christian VIII 3 December 1839 – 20 January 1848		18 September 1786 Christiansborg Palace eldest son of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin	(1) Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 21 June 1806 Ludwigslust Castle two sons (2) Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg 22 May 1815 Augustenborg Palace no issue	20 January 1848 Amalienborg Palace aged 61
Frederick VII 20 January 1848 – 15 November 1863		6 October 1808 Amalienborg Palace second son of Christian VIII and Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin	(1) Vilhelmine Marie of Denmark 1 November 1828 Christiansborg Palace no issue (2) Caroline of Mecklenburg 10 June 1841 Neustrelitz no issue (3) Louise Rasmussen 7 August 1850 Frederiksborg Palace no issue	15 November 1863 Glücksburg Castle aged 55

House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death	Biography	Relationship with predecessor
Christian IX 15 November 1863 – 29 January 1906		8 April 1818 Gottorf Castle fourth son of Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel	Louise of Hesse-Kassel 26 May 1842 Amalienborg Palace six children	29 January 1906 Amalienborg Palace aged 87		Great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson of King Christian III
Frederick VIII 29 January 1906 – 14 May 1912		3 June 1843 Yellow Palace eldest son of Christian IX and Louise of Hesse-Kassel	Louise of Sweden 28 July 1869 Stockholm eight children	14 May 1912 Jungfernstieg park, Hamburg aged 68		Son of King Christian IX
Christian X 14 May 1912 – 20 April 1947		26 September 1870 Charlottenlund Palace eldest son of Frederick VIII and Louise of Sweden	Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 26 April 1898 Cannes two sons	20 April 1947 Amalienborg Palace aged 76		Son of King Frederick VIII
Frederick IX 20 April 1947 – 14 January 1972		11 March 1899 Sorgenfri Palace eldest son of Christian X and Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin	Ingrid of Sweden 24 May 1935 Storkyrkan Cathedral, Stockholm three daughters	14 January 1972 Amalienborg Palace aged 72		Son of King Christian X
Margrethe II 14 January 1972 – present		16 April 1940 Amalienborg Palace eldest daughter of Frederick IX and Ingrid of Sweden	Henri de Laborde de Monpezat 10 June 1967 Holmens Kirke, Copenhagen two sons	Incumbent		Daughter of King Frederick IX

See also

• Danish monarchs' family tree
• Line of succession to the Danish throne
• List of Danish royal consorts
• Coronation of the Danish monarch
• Style of the Danish sovereign
• Danish Orders of Chivalry
• Lists of office-holders

Further reading

• "Royal Lineage" Royal Family - The Monarchy in Denmark.
  • "Kongerækken" Kongehuset.